PO222 - Politics of Contemporary China

Module content and teaching

Principal aims

Provide students with a thorough overview of how government and politics are organised and function in the People’s Republic of China Introduce students to the complex and distinct nature of Chinese politics, along with their historical and theoretical basis Locate the theoretical debates on the nature of the Chinese political system within the contexts of both contemporary Chinese politics and modern Chinese history Introduce students to the nature, and impact, of China’s international relations, and broader international interactions

Principal learning outcomes

To be familiar with the main foundations of the Chinese political structure To understand the functioning of power in the Chinese party-state To have an awareness of the major policy debates in Chinese politics To be familiar with a wide range of literature on Chinese politics and international relations To be able to critically analyse complex ideas, both orally and in writing, with relation to Chinese politics To develop IT and research skills through the use of the library, internet and e-mail based resources To develop the ability to work both as a group and independently